You Gotta' Make It Hurt

I held a book club with the women I work with. These dear women are so fun. The book was Tuck Everlasting. It's about a family that accidentally drinks from a spring that gives everlasting life. You may think this is a blessing, especially if you are 17 year old Jesse. However, is it a blessing for Mae and Tuck? Read the book and find out : ) Anyway, our talk of 17 year old Jesse led to a discussion about my son. We talked about 17 year old boys being impulsive and living in the moment, anything beyond 30 seconds in the future is out of their grasp. "Ma, can I ski off the roof with my snow board?", he'd ask. Imagine if he could live forever what he would do! Is it any wonder my hair is grey?! My son bought a car, a red mustang, V8, 5 speed, and has been working on it for 5 months. He's been itching to drive it on his own. He got his license on a Thursday. On Friday, less than 24 hours later, my husband and I took his license away. Yes, we are the meanest parents alive. I told the women, "You gotta' make it hurt. They don't learn otherwise." They agreed. So, when I suspended his cell phone service today, I told the customer service operator, "You gotta' make it hurt." He agreed. Like Mae Tuck, I could live forever happily, but parenting forever . . . now that would hurt.